Gonzaga set to welcome #MeToo trailblazers including Pulitzer Prize winner Ronan Farrow

Gonzaga University has another draw for its Friday night event bringing two speakers to campus to discuss the #MeToo movement: a Pulitzer Prize winner.

New Yorker magazine journalist Ronan Farrow was honored Monday along with the New York Times for public service journalism in their reporting on alleged decadeslong sexual assault and predation by movie producer Harvey Weinstein.

The prize was awarded for “explosive, impactful journalism that exposed powerful and wealthy sexual predators, including allegations against one of Hollywood’s most influential producers, bringing them to account for long-suppressed allegations of coercion, brutality and victim silencing, thus spurring a worldwide reckoning about sexual abuse of women.”

“My goal was that we really bring people to talk about contemporary, relevant and provocative issues, so to me the Pulitzer just kind of reinforces that that’s what this issue is,” said Gonzaga President Thayne McCulloh , who personally selects the speakers for the university’s annual Presidential Speaker Series.

Farrow will join Tarana Burke, the woman who coined “me too” in 1997 as part of her work to help survivors of sexual violence and assault, particularly young women of color.

McCulloh said Burke’s name was first on his list, since she’s been working directly to fight sexual violence for decades. He then learned she’s made joint appearances with Farrow and wanted to see if Gonzaga could host them both.

Having two speakers who “each in their own way are trying to unpack and work in this very challenging space creates a really interesting and multidimensional opportunity for us that just really appealed to me,” McCulloh said.

The event is the seventh installment of the Presidential Speaker Series.